Letters To The Editor

We pay personal income taxes, corporate income taxes, real estate taxes, sales taxes, fuel taxes, business personal property taxes, utility taxes and a whole host of specialty taxes depending on how you earn a living.

The only tax that is going away is the car tax. We should be entitled to at least one tax break.

Keep the car tax elimination on schedule.

Cut recent spending increases, cut waste, cut inefficiency, cut across the board if necessary, but please, give us just this one promised tax break.

The bottom line for legislators is: Don't come back from the session expecting our votes if you try to give us some feeble explanation that you couldn't find the means to give us the only tax break we've had in years.

Keep the car tax elimination on schedule.

Tom Coleman

Hampton

Strength of character

Sen. Tommy Norment made a mistake. He also addressed that mistake in the most straightforward way possible. I'm sure that there is no one more upset about his mistake than Norment. He will face the judge just as any of us would.

This lone mistake is no reason for him to lose any of the support of his constituents. He is doing a first-class job in the Senate and will continue to do so in the future.

He is steadfastly supporting Eastern State and reality-based financing against the governor, who is the leader of Norment's party.

In this day of mealy mouth politicians, he has the strength of character to do the right thing even when it's against his party's governor.

I've always had the utmost of respect for the lawyer Norment and most of his work in the Senate, but his work in the Senate this year and the way he has handled his lone legal mistake cause me to admire him even more.

Zan L. Cartwright

Williamsburg

Gentlemanly behavior

My heart aches for Tommy Norment and his family during this embarrassing time.

We have known Tommy and Mary Norment for many years, well before he held public office, as personal friends and business associates.

We have been with the Norments often during social events and with the exception of one beer many years ago, I have never seen Norment drink alcohol.

He has been and continues to be a person of the highest integrity and standards and has exhibited an enormous dedication to the people he represents.

In his current situation, unlike many other persons with high profiles whose misdeeds have been much publicized, Norment is behaving as a gentleman and in an exemplary manner.

It is typical that he would respond to a client's emergency even in the wee hours. Norment has accomplished great things for the Commonwealth and will continue to be a formidable spokesman for his constituents.

But for sheer good luck, many of us could be in this same unfortunate position.

Give this good man your support and encouragement.

Trudy Moyles

Williamsburg

Norment's integrity

My family has lived in James City County since 1994. During that time we have been represented in Richmond by Del. George Grayson and by Sen. Tommy Norment.

Because of party affiliation, I have been unable to vote for Norment. However, because of his integrity and genuine concern for the well-being of his constituency and the Commonwealth, I have never been able to vote against him.

My respect for Norment's integrity has further increased during this General Assembly session.

Norment has broken ranks with the Gilmore giveaway crowd. He has publicly let it be known that Gilmore's creative math with the state budget is neither acceptable nor is it even correct arithmetic.

Norment and Grayson have been vocal in their concern with the probable closure of Eastern State Hospital. The Gilmore crowd seems concerned only with the value of the real estate on which Eastern State now sits.

Is it coincidence that Norment was stopped, handcuffed and humiliated while in Richmond? I think not. Voters in our senatorial district will recognize this attempt at public humiliation for the political maneuver, which it almost certainly is.

I suggest that Norment pay his fine, keep a sharp eye on his rearview mirrors, continue the good fight, and count on at least one additional vote from the left in his next election.

Chuck Smith

James City County

New playgrounds

The Newport News Public Schools and the Newport News Parks and Recreation Department deserve applause for neighborhood plans. Both divisions, with cooperation from elementary school PTAs, propose to install new playgrounds at all of the elementary schools.

The proposal calls for five schools each year to have the opportunity to install a playground. Several have been completed and several more will begin construction this year.

Individual elementary schools are responsible for raising some of the funds toward this project. I urge all business owners, civic groups and individuals to call their local elementary school and see how they can help the schools achieve their goals.